Saw-tooth oscillator



Sept.. l2, 1950 A. SUNDBERG 2,521,762

SAW-TOOTH OSCILLATOR Filed Dec. 19, 1945 TTOP/VEY Patented Sept. 12,1950

UNITED l STATES L a 12,521,7eza.` a SAW-Toorn oscIaLLAToR Alfred Sundberg, New York, N. Y., assignor to i Federal Telephone and Radio Corporation, New York, N. Y'.,a corporation of Delaware y' f Application December 19, 1945, serial No. 636,017

denser and resistor connected in series with a voltage source. lI'he voltage across the condenser,` as the condenser yis gradually charged, is yused as the sloping portion of the saw-tooth Wave. A gas or vacuum tube is 'usually connected across the condenser to instantaneously discharge the condenser andfterminate the rising voltage. Un# fortunately, a condenser does not charge linearly with time, and straight-line voltage increases cannot be obtained.; v y v a Anvobject of my invention is an improved relaxation oscillator.

A more specific object of my invention is a relaxation oscillatorl for saw-tooth waves, which will generate straight-line voltage vincreases on the'waves. y* y M a a My invention` is defined with particularity in the appended claims and preferred embodiments are described in the following specication and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

-Fig. 1 is a showing of voltage-time curves to better illustrate the operation of my device; and

Figs. 2 and 13 are circuit diagrams of saw-tooth generators embodying my invention.

Condenser I and resistor.2, are connected in series YWithmthe direct current voltage source 3 l for developing across thecondenser the -gradually increasing voltage portion of as'aW-tooth wave. The time constant (CR) of thecondenser andresistor determinesjof course'the charging rateof and the Voltage rise across the condenser. e, When the voltage` across the condenser reaches a predetermined value, the condenser is suddenly discharged through the anode-cathode space of tube 4. The particular discharge tube shown is of the vacuum type containing a control grid 5 connected to an adjustable bias 6 for controlling the anode voltage at which discharge starts. A current limiting resistor 1 should be inserted in the anode lead. The saw-tooth wave output 8 circuit is connected as shown in parallel with the condenser I. For adjustment of the wave amplitude, a potentiometer 9 may be used, preferably in series with coupling condenser I l).

Curve A, in Fig. 1 shows how the charge on condenser I increases with time. The exponential rise of voltage across the condenser is particularly objectionable in applications such as cathode ray sweep circuits where linearity is necessary for distortion-free traces. I propose,

according to this invention, to make the voltage- 2 Claims. (Cl. Z50-36) across condenser I change linearly with time, and

to describe the principles involved, a specific embodiment of my novel circuits will be referred to.

vIn Fig. 2 an electron discharge device I I is shown,

comprising a cathode I2, a control grid I3, a secondgrid I 4, a third grid I5 and an anode I6. In commercial tubes-'the second and the third grids are usually called, respectively, the screen and the suppressor. The anode and second grid are connected to the junction of the voltage source andthe resistor 2 and the third grid to the junction of the resistor and condenser I. The control grid and the cathode are connected to the ground sidcof the voltage source, a control grid biasing resistor I'I being included in the cathode lead. When operating potentials are applied, the voltage of grid I5 doesnot rise as expected. If resistor '2 is one megohm and tube II is 'a receiver type such as the commercial 6AK6, the voltage rise of grid I 5 with' time is exponential as shown by curve B, Fig. 1, and has a curvature reversed to that of a curve A. The combined characteristics of the condenser I and grid I5 is a substantially straight line C so that voltage variationsv 'at the junction of the condenser and grid isline'ar.

' Onegenerator which I constructed and which had straight-line saw-tooth oscillations of cycles per second comprised va tube VII corresponding to the type commercially known as 6AK6. 4Resistor 2 `was one megohm, condenser I was one 'tenth microfarad, source -3 was 250 Volts, 'resistor 'I was 500 ohms, tube 4 was a n 2D2l,` condenser l0 was 0.5 microfarad, and

potentiometer 9 was 0.5 megohm'. The performance of the suppressor grid I5 is best demonstrated'by removing the condenser I 'from the circuits. When the voltages are lapplied the voltage of the suppressor grid rises gradually at first and then more rapidly as shown at B, Fig. 1.

I believe the peculiar voltage characteristic of grid I5 is attributable to secondary electron emission at the grid. Grid I5 is in a high potential eld established by the anode and the second grid I4, and at the beginning of the charging of condenser I, the potential of grid I5 is relatively low in that iield. Any low velocity electrons in the vicinity of grid I5 will, accordingly, be attracted to either plate I6 or grid I4. Secondary electrons from grid I5 are particularly subject to removal by the higher potential electrodes. Hence, bombardment of grid I5 with one electron which will dislodge more than one secondary electron will give the grid a net increase in positive potential. As the potential of grid contain a positive eld strong enough to remove the secondary electrons from the electrode and that it have a source of primary electrons of suff 2,521,762 ff,

linearity to be usable from the ordinary resistor and condenser combination is limited to approximately 7 to 10 percent of the supply voltage, my invention makes it possible to use to 45 of the supply voltage on a linear saw-tooth Wave.

I claim:

l. A relaxation oscillator comprising a condenser, a direct voltage source, and a resistor connectedfin series, with the condenserand resistor being proportioned to provide a predeter- `mined time constant; means for modifying the u rate of charge of said condenser comprising an iicient velocity to dislodge secondary electrons from the electrode, the secondary-toprimary"' ratio being greater than unity.

In Fig. 3 a tetrode i8 is shown with a cathodeA Hic- establishing a high positive eld, a second elecy trode in said eld and arranged tc be bombarded I9 and control grid 20 connected as in Fig. 2. The'` second or screen grid 2I is connected tothe volt` age source 3, while the .anode 22 is connected to the condenser-resistor junction and serves the saine purpose'as grid I5 in Fig. 2. Thehigh potential second -grid ,2i accelerates theelecgtrons from the cathode some of` which willg'pass through thesecondl grid to they anodaqandthe control grid bias, ofcourse, regulates theY total space current'and the number ofi electrons that may reach the anode. It is vvellA know-n that when lthe screen grid voltage of va tetrodeis higher than the anodevvoltage, the screencurrent will actually increasewith an increase of anode -voltage because of the Ilovv -of secondary electrons fromv the anode yto the screen grid. 1 At the beginning of the charging -iof condenser;- I, the potentialof anode 22 is relatively, low=and the secondaryv electrons, `dislodgedby/an .cc-- casional high speed primary electron, will 'be drawn to the gridr 2l. If more electrons, leave the anode than `are received by-.it, the anode will have net increase in vpositive potential, -vand. as the potential of the anode rises proportionately more primary electrons strike the'anode, still more electrons are dislodged andleave, and the potentialfrise of the anode acceleratesasshown at B, Fig. 1. I With respect to the voltage source", the condenser I and anode 22 are in paralleliand their voltagey characteristics` represented.- by ,-A= and B are combined to produce a substantiallyflinear rise in voltage. .l It will be clear that otherforms oftubes providing the shunting action across thefcharging resistor may also be used. A triode may be used fortexamgple, or a grid controlled rectifier tube providedfonly that the control grid be=-spaced suiliciently. close to the anode to bein afstrong positive iield. 1 t,

Whereas the saw-tooth voltage ofI suiicient electron discharge device having a cathode and anadjacent control grid connected to the negativerterminal ofk said source, a rst electrode for with electrons passed by the control grid so that secondary electrons will travel to said rst electrode and increase positively the potential of said secondelectrode, said second electrode andsaid cathode being connected, respectivelypto the tere minals of said condenser, a biassed electrondisf charge device coupled across said condenser for discharging said condenser uponk its attainingA a given level of change.- i y, u y

2. A saw-tooth wave.generatorcomprisinga condenser, a resistor, and -a direct voltagesource connected inseries; an electron .discharge device having a cathode,` acontrol grid ak screen grid, a suppressor-gridzand an anode; said cathode and control grid being connected tothe juncftion of the `negative terminal' of the voltage source and condenser, said suppressor gridbeing connected to the junction of the .condenser and resistor, and the anode and screengrid being connected to the junction of the positiveterminal of the voltage source and resistor, a biassed elec,- tron discharge device coupled across said condenser for discharging said condenser upon ,its attaining a given level of change. u

ALFRED ,SUNDBERQ REFERENCES errno The following references are of record in'the leof this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS y 

